Madam Speaker, I am grateful to see Canadians across the country finding their own special ways to commemorate this important day.
Let me be clear: As a government, we believe that truth and reconciliation need to be at the heart of absolutely everything that we do. We are committed to doing the work.
After Harper refused for years, we launched the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Today, more than 96% of first nations have access to clean drinking water, with a pathway for the remaining 4%. After decades of neglect, we have helped communities build, renovate and retrofit 31,000 homes and counting.
We will continue working with indigenous peoples to build a new relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership; that is “reconciliaction”.